The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) held workshops in the Argentinian Patagonia to train scientists and park rangers on biodiversity surveying techniques designed for rocky shore communities. Rocky intertidal habitats of Patagonia host diverse and rich communities of invertebrates and macro-algae that can be directly observed during low tide.
In these workshops participants were trained to capture framed images of these organisms that are subsequently processed to quantify the abundance of different species using artificial intelligence algorithms. As a result of these activities park rangers and scientists in Argentina and Chile have assembled a network of biodiversity observatories throughout the region that will enable detecting changes in these habitats due to natural causes and human activities, and informing resource management and conservation efforts.
A big thank you to Dablu for outfitting us with their SportEx long sleeve shirts! Their generous contribution will be a huge asset on our next expeditions!